Bracelet Signaling Mechanism

ABSTRACT

A bracelet responsive to being hydrated may include a top surface and a bottom surface, an inner surface defining a central aperture extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an outer surface being in a spaced relationship with the inner surface and extending between the top surface on the bottom surface, and a hydrochromic layer formed on an exposed surface of the bracelet, the layer having a first appearance that changes to a second appearance responsive to the hydration of the bracelet. The exposed surface may be on the top surface, and the exposed surface may be on the bottom surface. The exposed surface may be on the outer surface, and the change of the first appearance to the second appearance may be permanent. The change from the first appearance to the second appearance may be nonpermanent.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bracelet and more particularly to abracelet that can provide an indication that it has been hydrated.

BACKGROUND

Due to the prevent potential of spreading disease, an increasing concernhas been the need for caregivers and other people who come in contactwith consumers to wash their hands after treating other patients orafter using the restroom facilities. The management of a facility maymandate that the caretakers and other people wash their hands, butenforcement may be problematic because of the lack of a reliable way ofdetermining that the user has washed his hands short of posting someonein the restroom to enforce the mandate.

What is required is a simple yet effective way of determining of whetheror not the user has recently washed his or her hands.

SUMMARY

A bracelet responsive to being hydrated may include a top surface and abottom surface, an inner surface defining a central aperture extendingbetween the top surface and the bottom surface, an outer surface beingin a spaced relationship with the inner surface and extending betweenthe top surface on the bottom surface, and a hydrochromic layer formedon an exposed surface of the bracelet, the layer having a firstappearance that changes to a second appearance responsive to thehydration of the bracelet.

The exposed surface may be on the top surface, and the exposed surfacemay be on the bottom surface.

The exposed surface may be on the outer surface, and the change of thefirst appearance to the second appearance may be permanent.

The change from the first appearance to the second appearance may benonpermanent.

One of the first appearance or the second appearance may be a reflectivematerial.

One of the first appearance or the second appearance may be a barcode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a bracelet of the present invention having a firstappearance;

FIG. 2 illustrates the bracelet of the present invention having a secondappearance;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the bracelet of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of the bracelet of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a perspective view of the bracelet 100. In someaspects, a bracelet 100 may include an inner peripheral surface 101 todefine a central aperture 111, an outer peripheral surface 103, a topsurface 105 and a bottom surface 107 to form a bracelet or ring to beworn by a user. While the present invention describes a bracelet 100,the teachings of the present invention may equally be applied to a ringto be worn by the user. A hydrochromic material may be associated withat least a portion 109 of the outer peripheral surface 103 oralternatively the top surface 105 or the bottom surface 107. Thehydrochromic material may be visible from the exterior of the bracelet100. The hydrochromic material may have a first appearance when in asubstantially dry form and a second appearance, different from the firstappearance, when the hydrochromic material becomes substantiallyhydrated.

In accordance with some aspects, a method of making a bracelet 100includes the step of forming a bracket or ring which includes the innerperipheral surface 101, the outer peripheral surface 103, the topsurface 105 and the bottom surface 107, providing a dry hydrochromicmaterial having a first appearance that substantially matches anappearance of the surface of the bracelet 100 and applying the dryhydrochromic material to at least a portion of the surface of thebracelet 100 such that the hydrochromic material is visible from anexterior of the bracelet 100. The hydrochromic material has a secondappearance, different from the first appearance, when the hydrochromicmaterial becomes substantially hydrate.

The bracelet 100 may be formed from metal, plastic (including, but notlimited to, PP=Polypropylene and PET=Polyester), or other suitablematerials for bracelets.

Advantageously, an exposed surface 118 of the peripheral wall 112includes a layer of hydrochromic material 120 applied thereon thatreacts to the presence of hydration on the layer 120.

Preferably the hydrochromic material is produced in a printing ink formsuitable for use in printing systems. Furthermore, the hydrochromicmaterial is such that it can be readily applied to any type of bracelet100 material. The hydrochromic material to form layer 120 may be appliedto the surface 103 by, for example, printing or silk screeningprocesses. In some aspects, the hydrochromic layer 120 may be applied toa label (not shown), which in turn is attached to the bracelet.

Preferably the hydrochromic material is produced in a printing ink formsuitable for use in conventional printing systems. Furthermore, thehydrochromic material is such that it can be readily applied to any typeof bracelet 100 material. The hydrochromic material to form layer 120may be applied to the surface 103 by, for example, standard printing orsilk screening processes known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Insome aspects, the hydrochromic layer 120 may be applied to a label (notshown), which in turn is attached to the bracelet.

In one preferred embodiment, the hydrochromic ink may be preferablyproduced from comestible ingredients such as, but not limited to, a soybean oil derivative.

The hydrochromic layer 120 has at least two different, visiblydiscernible appearances. By way of example as shown in FIG. 1, the layer120 has a first appearance before a bracelet 100 has been immersed in aliquid. The first appearance may be similar to that of the exposedsurface 103 such that the layer 120 is minimally visible or opaque.Alternatively the exposed surface may be the top surface or the bottomsurface. Alternatively, the layer 120 may be clearly visible, byhydrating the hydrochromic layer 120, for example, by causing to beimmersed in the liquid as a result of washing the hands out of a sink onthe exposed surface 103, the hydrochromic layer 120 changes from thefirst appearance to a second appearance, as shown in FIG. 2. The firstappearance may include, for example, a first color, and the secondappearance may include, for example, a second color that is differentthan the first color. As shown in FIG. 2, the portion of thehydrochromic layer 120 corresponding to the filled region may thenchange to the second appearance.

It should also be appreciated that the first appearance and/or thesecond appearance of the hydrochromic layer 120 may be multi-colored.

It should be noted that machine-readable configurations might beimplemented with the hydrochromic ink without departing from the spiritof the invention. For example, the exposed surface of the bracelet 100may include a light reflective material or barcode printed using anon-hydrochromic ink. The hydrochromic ink may be of a form that variesin opaqueness. That is it transitions from or into an opaque form to orfrom non-opaque image or pattern thereby blocking the reflectivematerial or barcode image when the hydrochromic ink is in an opaqueform. In the case of using reflective material, a standard electric eyeconfiguration adapted to sense the presence or absence of the reflectivematerial may be used to sense whether the bracelet 100 has beenhydrated.

The presently preferred embodiment of this invention, the transition ofthe hydrochromic ink when it is hydrated is intended to be nonpermanent, thus drying of the bracelet 100 surface will cause thehydrochromic material to transition back into its dry state.

Alternatively, the transition of the hydrochromic ink when it ishydrated may be intended to be permanent thus the drying of the bracelet100 surface will cause the hydrochromic material to not transition backto the dry state.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the bracelet 100 with the layer 120formed on the top surface 105.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of the bracelet 100 with the layer 120formed on the bottom surface 107.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by wayof example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It shouldbe understood, however, that the description herein of specificembodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particularforms disclosed.

1) A bracelet responsive to being hydrated, comprising: a top surfaceand a bottom surface; an inner surface defining a central apertureextending between the top surface and the bottom surface; an outersurface being in a spaced relationship with the inner surface andextending between the top surface on the bottom surface; a hydrochromiclayer formed on an exposed surface of the bracelet, the layer having afirst appearance that changes to a second appearance responsive to thehydration of the bracelet. 2) A bracelet responsive to being hydrated asin claim 1, wherein the exposed surface is on the top surface. 3) Abracelet responsive to being hydrated as in claim 1, wherein the exposedsurface is on the bottom surface. 4) A bracelet responsive to beinghydrated as in claim 1, wherein the exposed surface is on the outersurface. 5) A bracelet responsive to being hydrated as in claim 1,wherein the change of the first appearance to the second appearance ispermanent. 6) A bracelet responsive to being hydrated as in claim 1,wherein the change from the first appearance to the second appearance isnonpermanent. 7) A bracelet responsive to being hydrated as in claim 1,wherein one of the first appearance or the second appearance is areflective material. 8) A bracelet responsive to being hydrated as inclaim 1, wherein one of the first appearance or the second appearance isa barcode.